UK Travel
Perfect country break: these are the 10 best holiday destinations in the UK for 2026
Planning a weekend away, a staycation or a summer holiday with the family? These are the best getaway locations around the UK, with something for everyone
Rugged moors and imagined worlds: How real are the landscapes of the Brontë novels?
How did a quiet Yorkshire parsonage produce three of Britain’s greatest writers? We explore the moorlands and villages that inspired Charlotte, Emily and Anne – and how much of Brontë Country made its way into their novels
Explore the rolling hills and quaint honey-stone villages of the Cotswolds with these 14 charming walks
The Cotswolds’ softly contoured countryside, elevated pastures, and golden limestone villages make it an inviting place to roam throughout the year. Our guide leads you through some of the AONB’s most beautiful walking routes.
This pocket-sized speaker might be your new favourite outdoor companion
We review the Tribit StormBox Micro 2 Portable Speaker to see how it stands up to the competition
Discover some of the best locations to ski and snowboard in the UK this winter
Hit the slopes without leaving the UK with our ultimate guide to the best ski resorts, hidden gems, and scenic spots where you can catch some fresh powder
What's new?
He gave us Auld Lang Syne and was known for passionate love affairs and bold, radical politics – just who was Robert Burns?
From humble Ayrshire beginnings to worldwide annual celebrations, we take a look at the life of Robert Burns, Scotland's favourite poet.
32 beautiful beaches to visit this winter
The British coastline offers incredible wildlife, views and fresh air in winter – our guide looks at the best beaches to visit as the cold weather hits.
7 epic breathtaking natural wonders in the British Isles that have been forged by time and shaped by wonder
Neil Coates reveals seven stunning locations, away from the usual tourist hotspots
Top 10 lost gardens that have come back to life: explore the gems that almost disappeared forever
Overgrown and more beautiful for it - we reveal Britain's finest untamed plots
Ambleside guide: This charming Lake District market town is the gateway to England's largest natural lake
Caroline Butterwick on where to eat, sleep and visit near Ambleside
Cotswolds
Is this the prettiest long distance walking trail in the UK? Spot up to 16 counties from one stunning viewpoint
As it's surprisingly hilly, there are plenty of scenic spots along the Cotswold Way.
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A quest for skylark song in the Cotswold Hills with James MacDonald Lockhart
Join a Plodcast quest to revel in glorious skylark song – with author and naturalist James MacDonald Lockhart – in episode 8, season 16 of the Countryfile Magazine Plodcast
Holiday Ideas
Magnificent waterfalls and crashing cascades: these are the best waterfalls in the UK
Discover enchanting falls, cascades and plunge pools on a walk or day out with our round-up of Britain's most spectacular waterfalls.
The ultimate off-grid adventure? These are the best bothies in Britain – for a night you'll never forget
Whether you're on a hiking trip, a walking holiday or just craving off-grid adventure, these wild shelters offer a unique way to experience the UK’s most remote landscapes — for free
No electricity, no booking, no problem: Why a night in a bothy beats any hotel – and what you need to know before you stay in one
On Britain’s remotest hills and valleys, bothies provide safe refuge for walkers. Our beginner's guide explores the history of the bothy, what you need to bring with you and the bothy code.
North West
“Cumbria wants to be the UK’s first carbon-neutral county.” How one writer skipped the gridlock on a car-free escape to the glorious Lake District
Caroline Butterwick embraces the joy of leaving the car at home on a peaceful trip to the idyllic Lakeland landscapes of Ambleside
The Wrekin walk, Shropshire
Stride out on a spectacular hilltop walk and marvel at the bucolic views from an ancient fortress, which crowns some of the world’s oldest rocks.
Podcast: In conversation with actress Jenny Agutter
Star of The Railway Children and Call the MIdwife Jenny Agutter joins episode 6, season 14, of the Countryfile Plodcast
Northumberland Coast
What looks like a crumbling ruin was once the nerve centre of England’s bloodiest war: How Warkworth Castle and its hidden hermitage shaped a nation’s history
Explore a mighty hill-top castle that Shakespeare once wrote into a play, and then follow a gentle riverside path that holds enchantments of its own: a mystical hermitage
Explore Seahouses and the Farne Islands, Northumberland
Explore the pretty fishing village of Seahouses, then take a boat trip to islands thronging with puffins with our complete guide to visiting the Farne Islands in Northumberland.
Lindisfarne Priory
Julia Bradbury explores a beautiful ruin, once raided by Vikings, now providing enchantment for peaceful visitors
Peak District
Perched on a rocky outcrop, does this Norman fortress ruin have the best views of the Peak District?
Step back 1,000 years and climb up to the ancient battlements of Peveril Castle, where sweeping Peak District panoramas await
This iconic stately home is holding a Regency festival to celebrate its literary connection – including a summer ball
Discover the history behind the Grade I-listed Chatsworth House and what it's famous for – as well as its Jane Austen connection
The Roaches and Lud's Church circular walk, Staffordshire
Look out for wallabies while enjoying folklore and oatcakes amid striking Staffordshire gritstone outcrops with this six-mile walk along The Roaches to the mysterious gorge of Lud's Church in the Peak District National Park
Scotland
When they left this Scottish island 50 years ago, something large and unexpected took over
Abandoned nearly 50 years ago, this remote Scottish island has become an accidental experiment in nature, survival, and evolution
Want to own your own island like Richard Branson? This uninhabited remote Scottish isle is now for sale
If you thought an island off the coast of the Inner Hebrides of Scotland was remote, there's an island OFF this island currently up for sale
A quest for one of Britain's rarest birds in the Cairngorm mountains
Join naturalist and author James MacDonald Lockhart walking and camping deep in the Cairngorm Mountains in search of the dotterel, a bird that breeds on remote peaks – in episode 14, season 16 of the Countryfile Magazine Plodcast
South Downs
Podcast: A sensational evening of singing with nightingales – with folk singer Sam Lee
Enjoy a truly magical experience deep in a Sussex woodland – singer Sam Lee and violinist Anna Phoebe accompany nightingales at midnight in episode 3, season 12 of the Countryfile Magazine Plodcast
Discovering history and mystery in Kingley Vale in the South Downs
Explore the yew forests, wildflower meadows and hidden history of Kingley Vale, West Sussex. Poet Hugh Dunkerley hosts episode 6 of season 10 of the BBC Countryfile Magazine podcast
Walk: Wilmington to Alfriston, Sussex
A short walk to the Long Man of Wilmington, the mysterious chalk figure on the South Downs. But how exactly did he get there?
South West
What is Dartmoor famous for? And can you wild camp there? Everything you need to know about the National Park
Everything you need to know about Dartmoor National Park – including its history and whether you can wild camp
Holidayers targeted as Cornwall introduces 100% council tax premium on second homes
Cornwall and a raft of other councils around the UK will introduce a 100% council tax premium on second homes and holiday lets, in response to the damaging impact second homes have had on local communities and economies.
Sea shanties sail on: The relentless appeal of sea shanties and how one tiny Cornish village is bringing global acts to its festival audiences – in a fish and chip shop
As the Mevagissey Shanty Festival draws in the crowds, the resurgence of this seafaring folk-song tradition shows no signs of waning. James Witts seeks the ‘drunken sailor’ in Cornwall
Wye Valley and Forest of Dean
Forestry England is hiring for one of the UK's weirdest jobs – and it pays £42k a year
One of the Forest of Dean's most ancient jobs is now welcoming new applicants
Podcast: The joy of riding an electric bicycle in the Forest of Dean
Explore the Forest of Dean and its wildlife on an eBike in the company of Tom Marvin from BikeRadar – in episode 8, season 11 of the Countryfile Magazine podcast
Podcast: Getting lost among hillforts and ravens in the lowlands of Monmouthshire
A winter's walk between hillforts becomes a battle with blocked or vanished footpaths in the farmland of Monmouthshire. In episode 4, season 11 of the Countryfile Plodcast, we explore problems with accessing the countryside